slumgullion: noun, a stew of meat, vegetables, and potatoes
or
a beverage made weak and thin, such as watery tea or coffee
or
the refuse of processing a whale carcass
or
a reddish mud deposit from mining sluices
Wow! talk about a word worth learning...four definitions is definitely impressive. How the etymology got from stew to whale carcass is a mystery, but hey, why not embrace it? Let's see if you can guess which definition I had in mind for the following sentences:
"Here, dear. Just a few more swallows of this delicious slumgullion and your throat will feel all better." (If you guessed the whale carcass one, you're wrong.)
*** Spoiler Alert: Don't read this sentence if you're reading Moby Dick!
Captain Ahab would have liked to reduce Moby Dick to a festering slumgullion, but alas, it was not to be. (Yes, whale carcass fans, you've guessed right this time.)
When her husband asked her what was for dinner, the clever wife answered with her newest vocabulary word, "How does some nice slumgullion sound?" Needless to say, he was very impressed by her knowledge of both words and cookery. (It does sound a lot more magnificent than stew, doesn't it?)
My children oft times accuse me of making a less than satisfactory slumgullion when I serve them shepherd's pie. I really like this word. I'm keeping it!
ReplyDeleteI love it...I've seen some slumgullion served that was reminiscent of a whale carcass. What a great idea, introducing new words on your blog! I wish you'd consider adding them to the forum. You could offer a question asking if anyone is familiar with the word and then offer a link back to your site. Happy Day!
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